PEI Looks Strongly At Irrigation

Cavendish Farms on Prince Island, Can., tired of relying on rain for potato production, is now asking that up to 30 percent of next season's PEI crop be irrigated.

Cavendish is going to the government to seek help in paying for the installation of sprinkler-irrigation systems.

This year's drought on the Island hammered the potato crop, which will be off 30-40 percent. This will hurt local processors, which have pre-contracted for the quantities of potatoes they will need to economically operate their plants.

AgraWest, a dehy plant, will be running only sporadically this season due to a lack of suitable potatoes.

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